Through the Alley
by ada69
Summary: Halloween Fanfic. I do not own ADJL or the characters.


**Through the Alley **

"This," Rose shoved a handful of popcorn in her mouth before turning back to the television, "is not scary."

Jake shrugged in reply. "Maybe people were easier to scare in the 1930's."

It was Halloween, and they had spent almost the entire day in front of the television watching old Frankenstein movies for lack of anything better to do. In a way, it was nice to take a break from the usual school and training dominated schedule and have a do nothing day. Jake had only bothered getting up for the occasional trick-or-treaters, which were dwindling down as the night went on.

"My parents told me that I need to be home before midnight," Rose glanced down at her watch, "and it's a quarter till. I should probably be heading back."

"Kay," Jake stood up and stretched his arms out. "Do you want me to walk you home?"

"I think I'll be okay," Rose smiled.

"I dunno," Jake replied, "Frankenstein is on the loose, you know."

Rose rolled her eyes with a smile. "Sure he is."

"I'm serious!" Jake replied with a slight smile. "Who knows what's out there."

Rose shook her head. "Ummm hello, former Huntsgirl here. I'm gonna be fine."

"Alright then," Jake waved her off, "suit yourself."

Rose waved once last time before pushing the door open and walking out into the cold October air. Rose shoved her hands into her pockets as she began walking down the deserted sidewalks of the city. The full moon hung above her, its orange glow illuminating the night sky.

It almost had an eerie feeling to it, like it was more than just a coincidence that Halloween happened to be on the same night as the full moon. Like something about the emptiness of the city streets wasn't quite right. Like someone was watching her every move.

Rose felt a chill run down her spine and spun around quickly just to make sure that she was not, in fact, being followed.

Seeing nothing but darkness behind her, Rose quickly brushed off the feeling. She smiled to herself at how silly she was being. As it was Halloween, she quickly came to the conclusion that she was only paranoid. If something were actually to happen to her, what were the odds that it would happen on Halloween?

Nevertheless, Rose picked up the pace. It was nearing midnight and she knew her parents would not appreciate her being out past her curfew. She absolutely refused to admit her fear, even to herself.

Somewhere in the distance, Rose heard the chiming of the midnight bell.

"Shit," she muttered under her breath. She was still a good ten minutes away from her house.

She began to walk even faster, only to stop a few seconds later. For the second time that night, a chill shot its way down her back, tingling its way down to the tip of her toes. Once again, she spun around to take a long look behind her.

Darkness. Darkness and nothing else.

Rose was hesitant in turning back around, but the distant sound of the melancholy bell forced her to carry on.

Almost as if on cue, a homeless man walked out of a nearby alley and stopped to stand in her path.

Now ready to admit her fear, Rose made a move to walk around him peacefully. The old man, however, had a different idea. He didn't speak. Rather, he pointed frantically to the alley from which he had come.

Catching the vibe that the man wasn't going to let her pass, Rose took a turn into the alley, fully knowing where she would end up. Though the old man frightened her greatly, Rose sighed with relief realizing that cutting through the alley would get her home even faster.

Rose jumped when she heard a noise from behind, quickly whirling around in expectation. But where the homeless man had once stood, nothing. Nothing at all. She was beginning to reach panic point, but she tried her best to keep a positive mind set. One day, after this night was over, Jake would boast about how he was right, and how he should have walked her home. They would laugh it off as if it were all just a joke.

Her heart now beating uncontrollably, Rose peered once more into the empty darkness behind her. Slowly, she turned around, her heart almost leaping out of her chest at what she saw.

There stood the old man in front of her, the pale moonlight shining off his rugged, unshaven face. He gave her a toothless grin before pulling a silver blade out of his long, tattered coat.

Rose was so taken aback by his actions that she didn't have time to think. She didn't have time to remember the skills she had spent years training for.

In one swift movement, the man pushed her up against the cold brick wall, holding the knife to her fragile neck.

In that second, Rose had lost all ability to function at all. She had absolutely no control over anything; her arms, her legs, her feet, she couldn't even find her voice.

The man pressed the blade gently into her neck, pain surging through her body as small droplets of blood trickled down her neck. She felt her vitality draining, and her brain overwhelmed with the situation at hand.

She took one last look at the night sky before submerging into total darkness.

**XX**

Rose slowly opened her eyes, adjusting to the sunlight that poured forth from her window. She took one look around her bedroom before she shot up in bed.

Instantly, the events of the night before came back to her. What had happened last night? How did she get here? What happened to the man? Had it all just been a dream?

Rose thought long and hard for a few minutes, contemplating what had and hadn't happened the night before. But no matter how long she tried, she just couldn't piece together the events that had taken place. Eventually, she came to the conclusion that it had all just been a dream, as she remembered it so vaguely.

Hesitantly, she rolled out of bed and walked to the kitchen to get some breakfast. After burning the toast twice, she gave up on breakfast and proceeded to the bathroom to brush her teeth.

But as she looked in the mirror, she was startled by what she saw. A long deep gash covered the entire right side of her neck, the dried blood so dark a red it almost looked black.

Perplexed by the wound, Rose raised her hand, now shaking violently, up to brush against the cut. It was, without a doubt, real. But how? She failed to understand. If the events of last night had truly taken place, then how had she ended up here?

Rose was momentarily pulled out of her train of thought at the sound of the doorbell. Still shaking from realization, Rose made her way toward the front of her home and pulled open the door without delay.

And she was downright astonished at what she saw.

There, standing before her, was the old man, knife in hand.

**XX**

**Well, make of it what you will. I pretty much took a story I wrote in 8****th**** grade and rewrote it into a fanfic. Lol. **

**Just downright weird? Well, we can't all be Edgar Allan Poe now, can we? **

**Well, I hope you got some sort of enjoyment out of this. **

**Happy Halloween!**

**~ada**

**BTW, for those of you reading When Death Strikes, I'm not updating this Friday. Sorry...but i'm really busy and i think i need time to...get back into it if you know what I mean. **


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